When Frannie goes to school in Feathers, it's obvious that she's got a bit of a Mean Girls situation going on with one of the girls at school—Maribel. Maribel is pretty snooty and makes mean jokes about the other students, and Frannie only puts up with her because she hangs out with Samantha, Frannie's best friend since early childhood. Even though they have a third wheel in their friendship, though, Frannie and Samantha's bond is still strong, and they can tell each other anything.
And when Jesus Boy shows up, Frannie finds herself drawn to him despite what the other kids think. He may be different, but that doesn't mean they can't be friends. Not at all.
Questions About Friendship
- Why do you think Jesus Boy wants to be friends with Frannie so much?
- Why does Samantha hang out with Maribel when she knows that it bothers Frannie?
- What happens to Trevor when he starts picking on Jesus Boy? Do his friends back him up?
- Does Sean have a hard time making friends with kids who can hear? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Frannie doesn't get along with Maribel Tanks—not because she's different, but because she refuses to see her peers as equals. Instead of accepting their friendship and respecting them, Maribel is always trying to prove that she's better than her classmates.
Even though Jesus Boy is completely different from all the other kids in the class, Frannie becomes friends with him because they share similar values. They both believe in helping others when they're down… even if the person who needs help is a pain in the butt.